When Tom Duerst steps onto his Verona, Wis., farm, he's hit with the din of clanking engines, humming trucks and bawling calves.
His 28 years in the family business have taught this fourth-generation dairyman a thing or two about hearing loss. "I don't want to be like my dad who said ‘Huh?' all the time," the 50-year-old says. "I want to be able to hear when I'm older."
Farmers are at high risk of permanent hearing loss due to prolonged exposure to farm equipment and other loud noises—often from a young age. But hearing loss and farming don't have to go hand in hand.
"We didn't have hearing protection when I was a kid, but I've been using it for the past 25 years," says Duerst. While Duerst has slight hearing loss—most likely related to being around farm equipment—he put measures in place on his operation to make sure it doesn't happen to his workers.
"Spending eight hours a day on a tractor is not uncommon here," says Duerst of his dairy operation.
A Wisconsin study found that about 25% of the male farmers surveyed reported hearing loss-related communication problems by age 30. Fewer than 20% of that 25% reported consistent use of on-farm hearing protection.
Young farmers often think hearing loss won't affect them. They fail to realize that exposure to potentially hazardous noise levels from such farm activities as operating tractors, grain dryers, hand drills or chain saws can damage their hearing.
One of the first signs that hearing loss has occurred is a "ringing" in the ears called tinnitus.
Reduce Risk. Earplugs and earmuffs can reduce noise levels by 15 to 30 decibels. If you are going to be exposed to noises greater than 105 decibels, some hearing protection guidelines recommend wearing earplugs as well as earmuffs.
Single- and multiple-use earplugs are among the least expensive forms of hearing protection. Most are made of foam that expands to fill the ear opening. Other models are very soft plastic with small collars that fill the ear opening.
Banded models with flexible connecting arms that fit around the back of the head or across the top of the head are a step up. The price on simple plugs begins at about 75 cents; banded plugs can cost about $10.
The next option is earmuffs with cups that fit over the ear's exterior surface. Both simple and electronic models are available.
One simple version—the Bilsom Leightning folding earmuffs—is ideal for workers who are exposed to low levels of noise or intermittent noise. These lightweight muffs have thin cups that do not interfere with most jobs.
Resources
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) offers two brochures on preventing on-farm hearing loss available at www.cdc.gov. For printed single or bulk copies, e-mail farm.noise@cdc.gov
Dangerous Decibels: www.dangerousdecibels.org.
American Tinnitus Association: www.ata.org.
For information on a new NIOSH-funded research project evaluating whether there are long-term benefits to hearing conservation programs for farm youth, contact Barbara Marlenga, Ph.D., at the National Farm Medicine Center in Marshfield, Wis., 1-800-662-6900.
Some sources for protection and additional information:
Sure-Fire: www.surefire.com
Howard Leight Hearing Protection: 1-800-322-1330; www.howardleight.com
PRO-EARS: 1-800-891-3660; www.Pro-Ears.com
Silencio: www.silencio.com
Walker's Game Ears: 1-800-424-1069; www.walkersgameear.com